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Elementary Lectures in Statistical Mechanics

  • Textbook
  • © 2000

Overview

Authors:
  1. George D. J. Phillies

    1. Department of Physics and Associated Biochemistry Faculty, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, USA

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Part of the book series: Graduate Texts in Contemporary Physics (GTCP)

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Table of contents (37 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
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  2. Fundamentals: Separable Classical Systems

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Introduction

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 3-10

    3. Averaging and Statistics

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 11-27

    4. Ensembles: Fundamental Principles of Statistical Mechanics

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 28-38

    5. The One-Atom Ideal Gas

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 39-54

    6. The Two-Atom Ideal Gas

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 55-58

    7. N-Atom Ideal Gas

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 59-79

    8. Pressure of an Ideal Gas

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 80-89

    9. How Do Thermometers Work?—The Polythermal Ensemble

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 90-97

    10. Formal Manipulations of the Partition Function

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 98-110

    11. Gibbs’s Derivation of Q=exp(—βA)

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 111-114

    12. Entropy

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 115-122

    13. Open Systems; Grand Canonical Ensemble

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 123-137

  3. Separable Quantum Systems

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 139-139
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    2. The Diatomic Gas and Other Separable Quantum Systems

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 141-156

    3. Crystalline Solids

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 157-168

    4. Quantum Mechanics

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 169-179

    5. Formal Quantum Statistical Mechanics

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 180-189

    6. Quantum Statistics

      • George D.J. Phillies
      Pages 190-207
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Keywords

About this book

This volume is based on courses on Statistical Mechanics which I have taught for many years at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. My objective is to treat classical statistical mechanics and its modem applications, especially interacting particles, correlation functions, and time-dependent phenomena. My development is based primarily on Gibbs's ensemble formulation. Elementary Lectures in Statistical Mechanics is meant as a (relatively sophis­ ticated) undergraduate or (relatively straightforward) graduate text for physics students. It should also be suitable as a graduate text for physical chemistry stu­ dents. Physicists may find my treatment of algebraic manipulation to be more explicit than some other volumes. In my experience some of our colleagues are perhaps a bit over-enthusiastic about the ability or tendency of our students to complete gaps in the derivations. I emphasize a cyclic development of major themes. I could have begun with a fully detailed formal treatment of ensemble mechanics, as found in Gibbs's volume, and then given material realizations. I instead interleave formal discussions with simple concrete models. The models illustrate the formal definitions. The approach here gives students a chance to identify fundamental principles and methods before getting buried in ancillary details.

Reviews

FROM THE REVIEWS:

MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS
"Critical depth and vivid presentation of concepts are the best qualities of this textbook, which can be recommended for an introductory course in statistical mechanics…”

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Physics and Associated Biochemistry Faculty, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, USA

    George D. J. Phillies

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